In 2025, GPS Mele joined an elite list: the 13th best multibrand fashion ecommerce in Italy, according to La Repubblica – Affari & Finanza and the German Institute for Quality and Finance (ITQF).
For a business that started as a small family retail project in Francavilla in Sinni (Basilicata), that’s a big leap. And here’s the thing: it didn’t happen by accident. It took a mix of family values, digital focus, and one smart technology choice – Sizebay’s virtual fitting room – that changed how customers shop on their website.
This is the story of how GPS Mele transformed from a regional store into one of Italy’s best ecommerce websites in fashion, and why their approach might matter for anyone thinking about scaling an ecommerce fashion site.
The History Behind GPS Mele
The story of GPS Mele starts simple. Three brothers – Giovanni, Prospero, and Salvatore Mele – wanted to bring quality fashion to their hometown, but with a personal and familiar touch.
For decades, they built a loyal customer base offline. But in 2017, they launched their fashion ecommerce website, giving them nationwide reach. Within a few years, ecommerce represented 70% of total revenue, shipping across Italy with a high-level multibrand selection.
They didn’t just want to sell clothes online. They wanted to keep the same customer-first feeling they had in-store but scale it digitally. That approach – combining human connection with technology – still defines them today.
The Challenge Before Sizebay
Running a fashion ecommerce site sounds great until reality hits: sizing issues.
- Customers often struggle to pick the right size, especially with lesser-known brands or different fits.
- First-time buyers hesitate, leaving carts behind because they’re unsure if it will fit.
- Customer service gets flooded with questions like, “How does this brand size run?”
- Returns pile up, driving up costs and hurting the customer experience.
That’s a common pain point for ecommerce fashion websites. If customers don’t feel confident about sizing, conversion drops and returns go up.
Why Sizebay?
GPS Mele needed something practical: a way to help customers choose the right size and feel confident when buying. Enter Sizebay’s virtual fitting room.
What stood out:
- Easy for customers: clean interface, quick results.
- Easy for the team: integrates smoothly with existing platforms.
- Accurate: uses data to suggest the right size, reducing guesswork.
The implementation? Quick. The Sizebay team handled setup and customization, and GPS Mele’s ecommerce site was live with it in just days.
The Impact of a Virtual Fitting Room
The results came fast:
- Customers felt more confident choosing sizes.
- Fewer pre-sales questions.
- Conversion rates increased on product pages with Sizebay active on product pages with Sizebay active.
- Return rates for size errors dropped slightly.
And let’s be honest, in fashion ecommerce, even a small improvement in conversions and fewer returns means better margins and happier customers.
The 13th Spot in Italy’s Best Ecommerce Ranking
In July 2025, GPS Mele received national recognition: 13th place in Italy’s best multibrand fashion ecommerce sites.
What pushed them into that ranking?
- A smooth customer experience.
- Strong digital service quality.
- A customer-oriented approach backed by useful technology.
Rosario Piesco, eCommerce Manager at GPS Mele, summed it up:
“Thanks to Sizebay, we gave our customers an intuitive way to find the right size, even for different brands. It directly improved conversion and satisfaction.”
And the founding brothers added:
“For over thirty years, we’ve believed in building relationships with customers. With ecommerce, we wanted to keep that same focus. Tools like the virtual fitting room help us deliver a modern, reliable, and personalized service.”
Why This Case Matters for Other Ecommerce Fashion Sites
There’s a lesson here: investing in platforms for ecommerce isn’t just about flashy design or faster servers. Sometimes, it’s about small, real-world friction points like sizing.
A virtual fitting room doesn’t scream “innovation.” It just solves a common problem. That’s why it worked: it made customers more comfortable, reduced returns, and made the ecommerce fashion website feel more trustworthy.
And for anyone building or scaling ecommerce fashion sites, here’s what this shows:
- Tools that reduce purchase hesitation pay off reduce purchase hesitation pay off.
- A customer-first mindset can survive digital growth.
- Recognition often follows when you combine practical solutions with good execution.
The Takeaway
GPS Mele isn’t some giant global chain. They’re a family business that built a strong online presence by solving one core issue and sticking to their values.
That’s why they’re now one of Italy’s best ecommerce websites in fashion, and why their case might inspire other retailers.
Want to see what their ecommerce site looks like today? Check it out: gpsmele.it
And if you want to see the full ranking: La Repubblica Best Ecommerce 2025.
Want results like GPS Mele? See how Sizebay can improve your customer experience and increase conversions.
